A warm wind blow in as Clair ran down the street to meet her best friend Alina Rodriguez on the football field before tomorrow night’s game before next month’s graduation ceremony. Clair had just received a signed letter from the principle about her too graduating along side her fellow upper-classmates. Clair was so excited that she couldn’t wait to tell Alina all about it, little does she know that Alina has something to tell her too.
Alina sat on the top level of the bleachers overlooking the Highland Park High School Football field when Clair came running up the steps. “Alina. I great news!” said Clair.
“That makes one of us.” Alina said trying to sound happy.
“What’s wrong?” Asked Clair sitting down next to her friend.
“Well, as it turns out my dad just got a new job back in Mexico”
“That’s hardly bad news. So, you won’t see much of him, but you still got me,” Clair said grabbing Alina’s hand.
“I wish it was like that”
“What are you saying?”
“We leave this weekend”
Several days passed with Clair and Alina spending every minute they could together and in these few days both girls felt like they lived a lifetime, but it didn’t last. The weekend came and Clair watched as her closest best friend drive away and out of sight, then she was alone; no one left who understood her. With tears in her eyes, Clair made the decision to accept the principle’s request about graduating early.
****
Back in the present, with the night thickening, crickets chirping and the park lights flickering against the black of the night it finally hit Clair; this was her closest childhood best friend. Almost speechless at this sudden appearance, Clair said the only thing she could come up with. “Alina? Is it really you?”
“In the flesh. Sure has been a while”
“Fifteen years.”
“Whoa, I’m lost. You know this woman Clair” Chase cutting in.
“What are you doing here, Alina?” Clair ignoring Chase’s question.
“Is that really the question you want to ask. Don’t you want to ask how I’ve been all this time”
“Alina?!”
“Fine. I’m with the Centro de Investigación y Seguridad Nacional. We have been investigating a possible security threat by a foreign power”
“First CIA, now Mexican Intelligence! What’s going on?”
“We at the CISEN believe that there may have been certain artifacts being smuggled out of country. I was sent here to get to the bottom of it”
“Why did you ask me here?”
“I wanted to see you again. And to tell you to go home! CISEN doesn’t need an inexperienced archaeologist and a CIA asset snooping around blowing our cover”
“inexperienced?! What’s that supposed to means?”
“Just what I said. You left for five years, you have no if any discoveries. And I can’t, no won’t be held responsible for you either”
“I’m not leaving. I can’t. I must know where this leads.”
****
The next day in the ruins of Chichén Itzá, Arianna made her way to meet with her mentor Gerald Wayne near one of the old temples. Wayne was standing with what looked like a North Korean commander and Archaeologist Seth Mendez. They appeared to be discussing the Mayan natives they had encountered and how they would deal with them.
The closer Arianna came the louder their voices were, almost like they were yelling. Arianna waited a few feet from her mentor and the Korean Commander until they noticed her. “Yes Ms. Davis? What do you want? asked Wayne.
“I just wanted to let you know that Clair Rain has survived the encounter yesterday at the Mayan village” Arianna said.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes! She’s heading back this way again with that friend of hers. Chase Harding”
“That former student of yours is a real pain. I told you we should have just killed her! She’s way too inquisitive” stated the Commander.
“She has too much of her father in her. Don’t worry I’ll handle it”
“You better! Don’t make me regret keeping you safe” stated Commander before walking away.
“Is there anything else Arianna?” Wayne said turn back towards Arianna.
“No. I’ll continue to keep my ears open and let you if there is”
****
Back the motel, Clair looked over the photos she took of the Mayan tablets, her own notes as well as her father’s journal for clues about the Fountain and where it might be. She knew she had to find before Mendez or the soldiers he was working with.
Time was a factor and Clair didn’t have much of it. If only Itzél had told her more about the Fountain before the soldiers arrived. I hope Itzél and her People are alright. Clair quietly muttered under her breath.
It was nearly half past midnight when Clair finally made a breakthrough in her father’s and some of the note she took while she was in Itzél’s village before it was attacked. The notes spoke of a hidden chamber deep in the most unpopulated part of the Yucatán jungle. What she would find there she didn’t know, but it was a good led.
Clair’s only problem was that she didn’t know where in the jungle to look and after her struggle with Typhus years ago she wasn’t about to go searching at random. She needed a guide, someone that know the way…someone like Itzél Achi. Clair would find her and if need be rescue her if was captured by those soldiers.
But it was late and Clair was getting tired, she would decide what the best way to precede in the morning when she could think more clearly.
In a car across the street from the motel sat Seth Mendez watching the room Clair was staying in. Something dark was stirring in his head as a smile came across his face. Putting out the cheap Mexican cigarette and grabbing the .45 colt that lay in the passenger seat, Mendez made his way towards Clair’s room.
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